Ever since 3rd grade my entire athletic life has been consumed by wrestling. Both my father, and his two brothers were very well know wrestlers from my area. Wrestling has always been big in my family, and because of that it is a big part of my life. Only those that have gone through the mental torture wrestling causes will know each others pain. If you want to succeed in wrestling you need to have strict discipline, to be able to set a goal and accomplish it, and to have the mentality to never give up. Wrestling has widened my work ethics not only on the mat, but also in the class room.
Starting the season of my senior year I weighted around 140. I wrestled at 126. This means I couldn’t weigh in even .1 over 126. My diet consisted of rice cakes and water. There was an unhealthy amount of nights where I had to run 5 miles in sweat pants and a garbage bag, then sleep in a fresh pair all to lose weight. This sacrifice taught me discipline, this sacrifice taught me to keep my priorities straight which is something that I used to struggle with in at school. As a kid that has struggled with ADHD where priorities have always been an issue, wrestling has helped me understand that when I need to get something done, I get it done. Discipline is a trait that someone needs to be nurtured and wrestling did that for me. When my coach tells me that I needed to be on weight for a big match, I get it done. When a teacher gives me an assign me, I get it done.
At the end of the season there are three big tournament; districts, regions, and states. When you place top three in districts you go to regions, and then top three in regions go to states. In the state of New Jersey even going to regions is an honor, only wrestlers with a name go there. This has been a goal my whole life. Both my dad and his two brothers went to regions, I have been driven by that legacy. Accomplishing this goal felt like nothing I have experienced before. Setting a goal gave me a vision to look for ever day and a dream to dream every night. I learned a great deal because of this. When you set a goal for sports or academics you are setting yourself up for something to work for. I started to set goals for each and every marking period. I wouldn't let myself end up with anything less then an 85 all through out my senior year, and with that vision in mind I didn't let it happen. I worked hard all through my last year, even after the dreadful last marking period came around. I didn't let my self slack at the end of the year like many of my friends and it all payed off at when I accomplished my goal. Wrestling has taught me to set goals for school, and to get them done – no matter what it takes.
A wrestling matches normal time frame is six minutes. You have six minutes to force your opponent on their back in front of their friends and family, while your defending yours. If you slip up for a second the course of the match can completely 180, with no room to recover. Wrestling taught me to never ever give up on yourself. When I was younger I used to get easily frustrated if I had a difficult exam coming up and I would get very hot headed when I had to study. This lead to my not doing nearly as well as I should have. Once I started to have the mentality to not give up on myself I wouldn't let myself get overwhelmed with every exam. I sat down for however long it took until I knew all of the information. I took much more time on projects that seemed tedious, when I used to just do the bare minimum. My teaches quickly noticed how much more effort was being put into all of my work. I never quit on myself, and I always put in my all.
All in all, wrestling has helped me set my priorities, find a goal, and always put my all into everything I do. My academics have drastically improved since I have became more involved with the sport. Both my grades and my teachers have spoken volumes about my increase in success throughout my high school career. I have became much more determined to achieve the best that I can do. I don't settle for anything less. Wrestling has helped my mature into a scholar, it has been the most influencing out-of-school academic influence.
Starting the season of my senior year I weighted around 140. I wrestled at 126. This means I couldn’t weigh in even .1 over 126. My diet consisted of rice cakes and water. There was an unhealthy amount of nights where I had to run 5 miles in sweat pants and a garbage bag, then sleep in a fresh pair all to lose weight. This sacrifice taught me discipline, this sacrifice taught me to keep my priorities straight which is something that I used to struggle with in at school. As a kid that has struggled with ADHD where priorities have always been an issue, wrestling has helped me understand that when I need to get something done, I get it done. Discipline is a trait that someone needs to be nurtured and wrestling did that for me. When my coach tells me that I needed to be on weight for a big match, I get it done. When a teacher gives me an assign me, I get it done.
At the end of the season there are three big tournament; districts, regions, and states. When you place top three in districts you go to regions, and then top three in regions go to states. In the state of New Jersey even going to regions is an honor, only wrestlers with a name go there. This has been a goal my whole life. Both my dad and his two brothers went to regions, I have been driven by that legacy. Accomplishing this goal felt like nothing I have experienced before. Setting a goal gave me a vision to look for ever day and a dream to dream every night. I learned a great deal because of this. When you set a goal for sports or academics you are setting yourself up for something to work for. I started to set goals for each and every marking period. I wouldn't let myself end up with anything less then an 85 all through out my senior year, and with that vision in mind I didn't let it happen. I worked hard all through my last year, even after the dreadful last marking period came around. I didn't let my self slack at the end of the year like many of my friends and it all payed off at when I accomplished my goal. Wrestling has taught me to set goals for school, and to get them done – no matter what it takes.
A wrestling matches normal time frame is six minutes. You have six minutes to force your opponent on their back in front of their friends and family, while your defending yours. If you slip up for a second the course of the match can completely 180, with no room to recover. Wrestling taught me to never ever give up on yourself. When I was younger I used to get easily frustrated if I had a difficult exam coming up and I would get very hot headed when I had to study. This lead to my not doing nearly as well as I should have. Once I started to have the mentality to not give up on myself I wouldn't let myself get overwhelmed with every exam. I sat down for however long it took until I knew all of the information. I took much more time on projects that seemed tedious, when I used to just do the bare minimum. My teaches quickly noticed how much more effort was being put into all of my work. I never quit on myself, and I always put in my all.
All in all, wrestling has helped me set my priorities, find a goal, and always put my all into everything I do. My academics have drastically improved since I have became more involved with the sport. Both my grades and my teachers have spoken volumes about my increase in success throughout my high school career. I have became much more determined to achieve the best that I can do. I don't settle for anything less. Wrestling has helped my mature into a scholar, it has been the most influencing out-of-school academic influence.